The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-03-24
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, }
GOVERNORS OFFICE,
March 1Gih 1887

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, }
GOVERNORS OFFICE,
March 10th, 1887. J
70 the General Assembly:
Al earnest desire to promote the public
Welfare has decided me to exercise the con-
s5ltational authority conferred upon the
executive, and convene the general assem-
biy 70 meet III extra session to-day.
lnsendilg this message to your honora-
pie bodies 1t is my purpose
FIRST, TO call your attention to the pres
ent condition of the debt of the Common
wealth, and to the very recent decision OF
the Supreme Court of the United States
IN reference to the law imposing tax upon
sample merchants.
/ Second, to ask that you receive, and If
proper. adopt the work of the revisors of
the code.
Third, To request that you may make
provision for the com Portable maintenance
OF the insane, who are now confined in
lails because of insufficient accommodd-
tiohs at the regular asylums erected fer
lRssh1ss purpose. l also express the hope
hh-es,Nit possible, you will legislate on such
other subjects as in your judgment the
public interest may require.
Every attempt to effect final settlement
{
has always been accompanied with embar-
| easements. The act passed in 1871 known
as the funding bill was thrown aside by
| the people at the first opportunity afforded
| them to DO SO. 1t attempted to bind the
State for the payment of more than five
million dollars OF war interest and to ap-
pirate for the claims of creditors funds in
yiolably appropriated to the cause of edu-
cation by the constitution, which was
adopted long anterior to the passage OF
said BILL Asubsequent measure-the set
tlement of 1873, known as the McCulloch
bill-based upon the former settlement,
was thought by many to be within the abiI-
1ty OF the State to carry out without in
crease of taxation because of certain con-
cessions by the creditors, but this, too,
received at the polls the condemnation Of a
majority OF the voters and its advocates
for the Legislature in most Of the eoun-
ties, and its supporters who were candi-
dates for the g0vernorship and other State
Offices were defeated. After a long and
bitter agitation Of the question. the act
approved February Ia. 1882, became a law
on the demand of the party which assumed
the relnS OF government i'll consequence Of
their advocacy Of it. All attempts by the il
political opponents to make other settle
lnent with the creditors, carryinga greater
amount of principal and interest having
failed, a pledge was finally given by them
not to disturb or repeal the settlement
thus decreed by majority of the voters
ard the public approval OF the sentiment
of that settlement as it stands day, has
received no public disapproyal either by
conventions of political parties or by Leg
islatures, SO that it may be said that the
people without reference to party distinc
ton, are of one mind in their resolution
to uphold and maintain 1t in all its integ-
Iity by all lawful means. In former mes
sage | had the honor to address to the
General Assembly, [ called attention to
the fact that Virginia had been for four
years the battle ground for contending
hosts that her soil has been exhausted to
suDDly armies that houses, barns. farm
ing implements and fences had been des-
troyed that her industries had been par
alyzed that the wheels OF her commerce
had been stopped that the fires in her
furnaces had been eXtinguished; that her
sof., lad fallen beneath shot and shell OF
had been enfeebled by exposure and dis.
ease that her capital city had beensswept
by fire, and her boundaries changed SO as
to show two States where only one had
previous existence, and that her citizens
in returning to their ayocations after the
war. in most instances had to begin their
business lives again. for though the land
was before them. it was confronted
with aehange in the labor system, while
stock of all kinds had to be provided. 1t
is easy, therefore, to perceive that the con-
dition of the State was far different from
the one she occupied when the debt was
contracted. 1t appears, too, that the set
tlement of 1871. which gave birth to the
coupon, involved a larger amount of in
debtedness than was within the ability of
the State under all circumstances to pay.
The platform of the party now in power
in the State promised an acceptance Of the
settlement of 1S91-S2, which had then been
declared constitutional by the courts, both
State and Federal, and ie cease all further
agitation of the question, Or any distur-
bance of that settlement by repeal or 9TH
erwise. II was only after the sudden re-
versal OF its own decision by the supreme
court of the United States that further
] legislation was necessary fer the protec-
! tion of the interests of the State.
| From the statements carefully prepared
| by the auditors, it appears that the annual
| revenues for some years to come will not
exceed $2,700.000, and that il the outstand-
ing obligations of the State should be
| funded into bonds under the RiddlebelgeT
| bill. except those held by institutions OF
| learning, the interest to be paid. added to
| the necessary annual expenses would about
absorb this income. The inability of the
State TO make q settlement, now with a
| greater amount Of principal and interest
! than the Riddleberger act, whatever she
| might have done once, arises from an in
crease in her annual expenses. such as
maintaining two additional lunatic asy-
| lums. one for the white and one for the
coIored the maintenance OF a Normal
and Collegiate institute for our eolOred
people, and school for the education OF
our female teachers; aid to the Confederate
| home for our poor and disabled soldiers
over whose shoulders rests no mantle OF
governmental protection: assistance TO cit
liens of the State who have lost limb or
| an eye. or have been seriously disabled by
wounds, so as to prevent them from per
! forming mar ual labor, and whose wounds
grow more hurdensome with the increase
Of years the increase expenses of oul
criminal charges since the abolition Of the
whipping post, and the increased Sppro
priations to our public schools. These are
some Of the necessary obligations incurred
1 while in the same period the State taxes
! have been reduced from fifty to forty cents
on the one hundred Gollors.
| Accompanying this is an estimate in de
| tail of the annual expenses of the govern
ment, to which respectfully call your at
| tention so that you may see that If to ths
gross amount given is added the amount O.
interest which the Riddleberger bonds car
| ry the present revenue of the State will be
absorbed. There are Two methods onl,
/ by which she can pay a greater amount o
interest that this settlement calls for
namely, by reduction Of the present eX
penses or an increase of the present rev
enue.
TIE STATEMENT.
salaries OF officers and
| employees of the gov
! eminent ..,.s.......... Sl16. 46I 50
| Contingent expenses of
basement officers and
| Attorney General. 52i5 %
Contingent eXpenyes of
/ Courts. ...,........ -, $4,000 co
Commissioner CT the
| revenue, commission
stationary. &s,...l. $4,000 %
Public printing
| 1887. 1877 III OF
| 1928, S1S42 80
1881, 500 76I 81 av. Is 900 90
| 1875, $40 06l 81
| 1856, $29, 454 12J
Registration of births,
marriages and deaths, 500 90
Civil contingent fund. l0,Gl0 co
| Civil prosecutfons...... $50 60
Commissioner of Agri-
culture. .:............. 5000 90
Penitentlary, ........... $1,000 90
Printing records of the
Court of Appeals 5000 90
Labor on Public Ground 1000 60
Reporter to COnrt of
Appeals .....,.. ..,.... 1900 90
Virginia reports, paper
and binding, ......... 5000 90
Vaccine agent, ........... SO %